The Azrieli Foundation has announced the 2026 Azrieli Music Prizes (AMP) Laureates, and this year's news carries special significance in Israel: Tel Aviv-based composer Hana Ajiashvili has been awarded the 2026 Azrieli Prize for Jewish Music, one of the most prestigious honors in contemporary composition.
The biennial prize, established in 2014 by Dr. Sharon Azrieli CQ as part of the Azrieli Music, Arts, and Culture Centre (AMACC), recognizes exceptional works of Jewish musical expression. Ajiashvili's 2022 composition "Riddle" earned praise from the jury for its emotional depth, clarity, and sophisticated writing for choir and orchestra.
Innovative composer reimagining a medieval text
At the core of "Riddle" is a compelling question from 12th-century poet Yehuda Halevi: "What is thin and empty and smooth… yet has blood flowing from its mouth?" The answer – a quill used to sign death warrants – remains as unsettling today as it was nearly a millennium ago.
Instead of revealing the riddle's solution directly, Ajiashvili allows it to unfold naturally through the music. As interwoven choral lines build a quiet tension, the orchestra shifts from bright to darker colors, creating a sound in which the poem's violence gradually, almost reluctantly, surfaces.
Indeed, "Riddle" is a musical creation, a meditation on the burdens of history and the costs of silence, as well as an acknowledgment of the wounds caused by persecution. The piece ultimately becomes both a reflection and a warning, reminding us that antisemitism, while ancient, is ever-present and ever-mutating, forcing us to stand guard.
Born in Georgia and now based in Tel Aviv, Ajiashvili has built an international career driven by curiosity, courage, and a strong artistic sensibility. Her musical language was shaped by her studies in Tbilisi, Moscow, and Bar-Ilan University, drawing on influences from each culture, resulting in a body of work that feels both personal and global.
In Israel, the Meitar Ensemble and the Israel Contemporary Players have long supported her work. At the same time, internationally, her compositions have been featured in programs by the Momenta Quartet and Mivos Quartet in New York, Reconsil in Vienna, the Riot Ensemble in London, Trio Catch in Hamburg, and various contemporary groups across Europe and Asia.
Ajiashvili received major honors throughout her career, including the Prime Minister's Award for Composers, the ACUM Award, and several international first prizes. Her commissions include works for the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, and her collaborations with librettist Royce Vavrek showcase her versatility across genres.
In addition to her creative pursuits, Ajiashvili plays a vital role in Israel's musical sphere as the director of the Or Yehuda Conservatory, where she helps develop the next generation of musicians and educators. The Azrieli Foundation's recognition affirms her position as a compelling and inventive voice, enriching contemporary Jewish music worldwide.
Celebrating 2026 laureates
Ajiashvili is joined by three outstanding composers whose work expands the artistic landscape of the 2026 Azrieli Music Prizes. American composer Dalit Hadass Warshaw has been chosen for the Azrieli Commission for Jewish Music. This honor enables her to craft a new piece exploring the changing significance of Jewish music today.
Her upcoming composition, "Letter From Across the River," is inspired by a heartfelt family story from wartime Poland, a personal narrative she will translate into a new musical language. The Azrieli Commission for Canadian Music has been awarded to Nicholas Denton Protsack, a Canadian composer and cellist whose proposed work, "Height of Land," reimagines the relationship between sound, land, and national identity. Known for incorporating ecological listening into his compositions, Denton Protsack often creates sonic environments that challenge traditional orchestral structures.
Completing the group is Adrian Mocanu, recipient of the Azrieli Commission for International Music, whose upcoming piece "de l’encra escafada" draws inspiration from the trobairitz, the female troubadours of medieval Provence.
Through intricate choral writing and the unique timbre of violas da gamba, Mocanu seeks to revive echoes of a nearly forgotten musical tradition. Together, these four laureates represent a diverse cross-section of contemporary composition, united by their dedication to history, storytelling, cultural memory, and inventive sound.
Each will receive a prize package valued at CAD 250,000, including the world premiere of their work with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal and the OSM Chorus on October 15, 2026, followed by international performances and a commercial recording. Their selection reflects the Azrieli Music Prizes' commitment to celebrating bold new voices and supporting music that resonates well beyond the concert hall.